I am sure to get some heat for this post... but I thought I would like to know if anybody else feels the same as I do or if I have lost all insanity...

This years teams still gets me excited for hockey... somehow... I enjoy sitting down and watching the team play... night in and night out... if I miss a game, I am a miserable person to be around...

I am not sure of specifics on why I enjoy the games but here is my guess...

First off, its still the PITTSBURGH penguins... I am a die hard Pittsburgh sports fanatic... yes i even watch the buccos, and riverhounds when available...

Secondly... every night that i watch a game I some how relate a play or episode of the game to the early 90's and cup years... ex: last night rex's goal... impressed the hell out of me for one... but also brought back memories of mario splitting stars dfmen and scoring in the cup finals...

thirdly... I still hold out more hope than most that the arena will get done or somehow the pens stay in pittsburgh... why... dont ask because im not sure... i just have a gut feeling...

fourth... even without mario... this team is mario's... I owe him that much in watching and attending as many games as i can... the man has changed the way I look at athletes forever... WE ow him that...

fifth... the young players that actually care... aka... colby armstrong, maximus talbot... those guys play hard... when i speak of playing hard i know they make mistakes... thats why they werent on the club at the beginning of the year... but they go out and hustle... hustle is everything to me... maybe that is why i loved straka when he was here... he was the dictionary term for hustle... they as in colby and max throw their bodies around... even when maybe they shouldnt... they are not afraid to get in some dudes face even if they would get knocked out... they play like they are trying to earn a pay check... earn a spot on the team... and earn a spot in our hearts... thats all i need as a fan... a few of those guys on the team...

sixth... i am looking for some answers... answers like other than malkin, crosby and fluery... who might be here in 3 or 4 yrs when we raise the cup for the third time... will Gonchar ever get out of his slump... i believe Admin brough up a great pt... maybe the dude is hurt... has he been all season.. i do not know... but he may be now... and well he has been playing better... will orpick and whitney be our solid d men... at times i think yes... at times i think no... will surovy ever score a goal... yes he will... and i think the longer that he plays with crosby the better... crosby will eventually elevate his play... everytime they are on the ice... after the play surovy looks to crosby for direction... he is learning a ton...

seventh... to watch # 29... the kid is simply amazing... melrose finally gave him props on a night where he didnt have to face 50 some shots... def kept them in the game last night... his quickness is unbelievable... cant wait to see him in an allstar game... actually skills competition...

eight... sir crosby... everybody knows why... his passes, unbelievable... his ablility to handle all this crap at 18 amazing... i would have curled up in the fetile position long ago and refused to come out of the locker room... he will be this franchise... if he isnt already... we will bow down to crosby... if we dont already... and well he will bring us a cup to pittsburgh

and finally... maybe the most important... moving or living outside of pa... and not even close to pittsburgh, and getting laughed at for the way i speak... and so and and so on... the way of life that i must adapt to... is fine and dandy... but every night the pens play... i can come home switch on center ice... find the game... and relax... because no matter how far from home i really am... nor how lonely i feel... seeing the black and gold... and the penguins i grew up to love... reminds me of the burgh... and makes me proud to be from Western Pa... and a person who loves the city of Pittsburgh... even with all its blemishes!

call me crazy... insane... or just stupid... but I love the Pens... and I appreciate this board...

I wish more people felt the way that you felt, or atleast showed it if they do. We hear entirely too much complaining on this board and in the city in general.

I for one have watched probably ever Penguins hockey game from 1986 to the present, no matter if we were terrible or great. I still tape games if im not able to watch them, then i refuse to let anyone speak about the outcome or updates until i have watched the game for myself.

I love the Penguins, I love what Mario did for this city. I am a hockey player, and i have been since i was 6. I owe all of my hockey accomplishments to the Pittsburgh Penguins and Mario.

I too also have a strong gut feeling that this team will be here for a long time, we will get an arena, and within 5 years there will be a Stanley Cup banner hanging from that new Arena roof.

like others have said. I sat through the wild game and some bad
games from 04. Complaining about a player or play just means I
care...not that I'm right but that I still manage to care regardless
of victories.
since hockey is a game , even tonight there is a chance pens
will beat Hasek, heatley, alfredsson et al.
Never liked Bryan Smolinski, he tanked as a penguin...when
the team wasn't.